b. at
Abergwili, Carms.
He received very little education before he was apprenticed to a
weaver
. Because of his musical talent he was allowed to join the band of the
Carmarthen Volunteers
; he became the
head of the fife band
of the company. After serving with these volunteers in
Ireland
he was appointed
head of the National Society's school
at
Llandovery
, where he spent the remainder of his life. His greatest service to music was rendered by
visiting local churches to instruct the choristers in psalmody
. He competed against
WalterDavies
(
Gwallter Mechain
, q.v.)
at the
Carmarthen eisteddfod
of
1819
; he also submitted an
awdl
at the
Brecon eisteddfod
of
1822
. He was, however, more important as an
editor
than as a
poet
, for it was he who
collected and edited
the material for
Blodau Dyfed: sef Awdlau, Cywyddau, Englynion, a Chaniadau, Moesol a Diddanol, a gyfansoddwyd can Feirdd Dyfed …
(
Caerfyrddin
,
1824
). This is a good example of the local-anthology type of publication; it is still of interest and use as a source-book for information on the literature of
Wales
, and on the
history of the provincial eisteddfodau
. Besides examples of the work of the
editor
(some of them written for the
Carmarthen
and
Brecon
eisteddfodau) the volume contains a selection of poems by
EvanEvans
(
Ieuan Brydydd Hir
)
,
JenkinThomas
,
Cwm-du, Cards.
,
EliezerWilliams
,
DanielEvans
(
Daniel Ddu o Geredigion
)
,
JamesDavies
(
Iago ap Dewi
)
,
D.Rowland
(
Dewi Brefi
)
of
Carmarthen
,
EdwardRichard
of
Ystradmeurig
,
EvanThomas
of
Llanarth
,
D.Lloyd
of
Llwynrhydowen
,
D.Jones
of
Llanwrda
,
JohnJenkins
(
Ioan Siengcyn
)
of
Cardigan
,
FrancisThomas
(‘
y Crythwr Dall o Geredigion
’)
,
IfanGruffydd
of
Tŵr-gwyn
, and others. Some of the material for his anthology was obtained by him from what is now
N.L.W. MS. 19
. He is probably the ‘
Ioan ab Hywel
’ some of whose work is found in
N.L.W. MS. 1238
(a
ThomasEdwards
,
Twm o'r Nant
MS.). He d.
18 Nov. 1830
, and was buried in the churchyard of
Llandingat
,
Llandovery
.